four people around a table

[Rock Richardson]

I am filming a short, the scene involves four people sitting around a small table talking to each other. any suggestions on how to film this scenario? I am having them sit relatively close and using a small table, its a breakfast scene. I got the OTS shots its trying to get all of them together. is it ok to have one them with their back to the camera ?

 

Thanks

Rock

[Brian Drysdale]

Yes, you can have some one with their back to the camera. It really depends how you want to cover it, do you want to cut it or do you want to cover it with camera moves? How you do this will depend on the dynamics of the scene, there are no set rules other than maintaining a sense of the geography during the exchanges. You have to let the action and the actors drive how you cover it, I'm sure there's more going on within the conversations than just talking. If there's no conflict, tension or struggle between the characters you'll have question the scene actaully being there. You have allow the interactions within the script drive everything. Sorry, no simple answers.

[Hal Smith]

Have a look at the scene in "Hannah and Her Sisters" where the three sisters are having lunch in a restaurant. It was done with circular track, shot by Carlo Di Palma, and with Zen focus pulling by Doug Hart,

 

The shot looks like the track went all the way around but Doug told me there was a wall on one side of the table that prevented a full 360 degree dolly.

[Ron Varga]

I am filming a short, the scene involves four people sitting around a small table talking to each other. any suggestions on how to film this scenario? I am having them sit relatively close and using a small table, its a breakfast scene. I got the OTS shots its trying to get all of them together. is it ok to have one them with their back to the camera ?

 

Thanks

Rock

 

2-45 Degree tracks would help, but if not set your camera up with a two shot in pairs on sticks (suggestion).